Polish J. of Environ. Stud. Vol. 16, No.

6 (2007), 927-931

Letter to Editor
Trends in Modern Car Washing
H. Janik1*, A. Kupiec
Departament of Polymer Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology,
Narutowicza 11/12, 80-952-Gdansk, Poland

Received: April 26, 2006

Accepted: July 16, 2007

Abstract

Different techniques of car washing are presented in this paper, along with issues of water use, water
contamination and its purification. Nowadays, technological advancements in the car wash industry fall
into specific categories such as, new washing technologies (touch-free and hybrid washing technology), ad-
vanced water recycling systems (based on biological water treatment), water desalination and purification
(by reverse osmosis) and other ecological and economical innovations (e.g. energy savings). Our conclu-
sion is that as the water quality demand increases, viable water recycling systems are becoming a critical
element of the modern car wash facilities.

Keywords: car washing technology, modern car wash, reverse osmosis, water desalination, water use
in car washing

Introduction Wash water in such facilities has to be pre-treated before

In the past people used to wash their cars in the back-
yards of their homes or other places of convenience, and
later, in hand-wash car washes. Nowadays, mechanical
devices in designated areas mostly perform this task. Nev-
ertheless, in every case the water used for cleaning the car
gets polluted. A variety of pollution sources in wash water
from cars are shown in Fig.1 [1].
In order to save natural resources and still provide a
high-quality wash, new car washing technologies must be
employed, including reuse of water. Some countries have
made significant progress in reusing the wastewater by set-
ting up rules and regulations, and investing in strategic proj-
ects, while other countries still lack adequate planning and
regulations [2]. Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands
no longer allow their citizens to wash cars at home [3]. In
Poland, Portugal, Italy and many other countries this issue
is not strictly regulated. Quite often the existing regulations
are mostly directed towards professional car wash facilities.
*Corresponding author; e-mail: janik@urethan.chem.pg.gda.pl
discharging to the sewer, while water generated while wash-
ing a car in the proverbial driveway gets discharged directly
to the storm drain without any treatment. In terms of chemi-
cal composition, residential car wash products are similar to
products used in the commercial car wash industry. Thus,
it is like regulating only the half of the market and ignor-
ing the reminder of the discharges. In the near future, strict
regulations aimed at preventing car washing at homes will
be introduced in more and more countries. Considerable ef-
forts towards cleaner technology of car washing have re-
cently been made, and various trends in the car wash market
have been observed in developing countries.
Trends in Car Wash Technology
Professional car washes can be divided into different
types, depending on the construction and washing tech-
nologies involved [4].
Self-serve car washes allow washing the car by the
customer. A wand disperses water and low-pressure
brushes are used.
928
Fig. 1. The main origins of pollutants in water coming from car
washing.
In-bay automatic car washes, mostly placed at gas sta-
tions. The driver parks the car, and the coin-operated car
wash-machine moves back and forth over the vehicle to
clean it.
Conveyor car washes mean full-service wash. They
clean the exterior and interior of the car, while the cus-
tomer waits outside; exterior-only cleaning is possible as
well and the driver stays inside the car. The car moves on
a conveyor belt. Friction (brushes or curtains) or friction-
less (high-pressure nozzles, touch-less wash) wash may
be used.
Touch-free (touchless) car washing technology is the
most modern vehicle wash system. It utilizes a touch-free
cleaning technique, which means that nothing touches the
vehicle except mild soap solutions and water [5]. They
perform without contact; therefore, less damage is caused
by wash equipment. Moreover, the ability to measure the
length and width of each vehicle reduces the consump-
tion of water, chemical solutions and time [5]. Totally
touch-free washing is based on high water pressure with
low volume flow. The driver parks the vehicle in the wash
bay. While the vehicle remains stationary, one (or two)
spray arm moves back and forth to clean it. Good clean-
ing result depends on effective and consistent chemical
application [6].
Hybrid car washing technology is the process in
which the brush washing is supported with primer prep-
ping to reach high wash quality. Prepping is the chemical
prewash (foam application) and high-pressure water jet
application to rinse off contamination [6]. Prewash be-
fore brush washing limits scratches on the car finish by
effectively reducing both chemical and physical bondage
between soil particles and the vehicle surface, promoting
removal of difficult dirt. Hybrid washing combines high-
pressure washing and brush or soft cloth washing opera-
tion [5]. A touchless cleaning in-bay requires more atten-
tion from car wash operator because the process needs
Janik H.,Kupiec A.
suitable chemicals, temperature and water pressure with
high-quality soft water to work smoothly.
Nowadays, the major goal in car wash technology is
to reduce friction (coming from cleaning brushes or cloth)
and manual vehicle prepping, and to produce cleaner and
drier vehicles faster [6]. At present, good washing tech-
nology leads to high quality of wash and usually to high
water consumption. The car wash operator has to balance
(especially in touchless in-bay car washes) some cleaning
factors such as time, temperature, chemical concentration
and friction of brushes. If one factor is at the improper
level, the other must take on its role (e.g. if time is short,
additional mechanical or chemical action or higher tem-
peratures are required). More recently, some innovative
manufacturers and car wash investors have been able to
build environmentally friendly car washes that provide
modern washing techniques and allow conserving water
and energy, as well as sewer discharge fees, which conse-
quently lead to saving money and the environment.
Economical and Ecological Aspects of Modern
Car Wash Technology
The application of modern car wash technologies
results in higher cost of equipment and maintenance.
Touchless and hybrid technologies are twice as expensive
as traditional washing techniques. Moreover, they lead to
higher energy consumption as they are operating with wa-
ter volume of about 200-300 l per car at high temperature
(50-60°C) and high water pressure (70-100bar), which
need suitable electrical power and heat energy [5]. Opera-
tors are trying to reduce operating expenses, in particular
electricity costs, by using solar and wind energy sources.
Although their motives are purely economical, the out-
come is beneficial not only for them, but also for their
customers and the environment.
Alternative Energy Use in Car Washes
One of the new trends in car washing is solar power.
Typically it will include one or more solar panels on the
building’s roof to heat the water for vehicle washing. So-
lar pool heating technology helps heat the water. It signifi-
cantly reduces CO2 emissions and natural gas consumption
[7]. Geothermal heating may also be employed as an al-
ternative heat source that is taken from the ground around
the facility. If the location is suitable a wind turbine may
be installed. Another method of energy reduction is a vari-
able-speed-drive vacuum pump. The two-pump system is
designed to nearly shut down when not in use. Addition-
ally, heat pumps and heat exchangers may improve en-
ergy savings [8]. Car wash operator can also cut energy
use by other means, e.g. by installing special doors, which
are part of energy conservation management. Such doors
have an open and closed time operation system that helps
to maintain appropriate temperature in the car wash bay,
Trends in Modern...
especially during winter season [5]. During colder weath-
er, the entrance and exit doors will cycle up and down to
retain heat.
New Building Materials
Additional savings while investing in a new car wash
may be achieved from the building itself. The use of re-
cycled, environmentally responsible materials may lead
to lower building costs. Materials may include insulating
concrete wall forms made from recycled wood fiber and
cement, and single siding made from reclaimed vehicle
license plates [8]. Rubber safety mats made of recycled
tires, and rubber parking wheel stops, trash receptacles
and landscape timbers made from recycled plastic also
are good examples of solutions possible to be used in the
car wash industry. Additional features such as wall finish,
radiant floor heating and continuous trench drains would
help to ensure a safe, low-maintenance building [7].
Chemicals
Environmentally responsible soaps and waxes used in
the washing process may improve the water treatment sys-
tems. Moreover, chemical savings may be obtained while
using a computer to maintain the proper dose of cleaning
agent through arms that move smoothly around the vehicle
corners and keep the spray aimed at the car [5].
Water Consumption in the Car Wash
High development of transportation and vehicle wash-
ing installation causes the amount of water use to rise.
Together with rising water consumption, the amount of
discharged wastewater and loads of pollutants rise [9,
10]. Only a professional car wash can provide the proper
amount of water with the proper pressure needed to safely
and effectively clean the vehicle. Home car wash is the
process in which people do not realize how much water is
Fig.2. Types of car washes and the amount of water use. (Over-
worked on the basis of [10]).
929
being wasted. Fig.2 shows water use for various car wash
types. The use of water in the case of touch-free car wash
is always higher than in self-service; however, implement-
ing a water-recycling system may reduce it. Modern car
washes clean, recycle and reuse water in self-service car
wash bays [11]. These systems use much less water than
standard car wash premises.
Water Conservation
Water conservation in the car wash means the effi-
cient use of water through water recycling systems [4].
Car wash water recycling is the use of wash water that
is captured, treated and redirected back into the same
water-use scheme (Fig.3). Firstly, wash water undergoes
reclamation and then it is redirected for reuse in the wash
process [12, 13]. Water reclamation involves treatment
of wash and rinse water. A properly designed car wash is
connected to a sanitary sewer that carries the wash water
to a biological wastewater treatment plant.
Non-biological treatment systems in the car wash in-
dustry leave two waste streams, i.e. free oil and oily sedi-
ment. However, a properly implemented biological treat-
ment system can address both these issues [14, 15]. If the
oxygen level is adequate, aerobic bacteria will develop and
consume all organic material in the wastewater without
generating odour. Recently, physico-biological methods of
water reclamation [14] have been suggested as an easy-to-
implement water-treatment solution in the car wash indus-
try, especially for high-pressure wash application.
The car wash investor has to choose the way of han-
dling wash water depending on the locality and combina-
tion of solutions he wants to install in the system. He has
to consider the volume of water used per day, chemicals
and procedures used in the wash or rinse process, the wa-
ter quality desired to obtain the intended use of the re-
claimed water, and the desired quantity for its use, the na-
ture of contamination to be treated and its concentration,
discharge limits and others [4].
Fig.3. Possible water cycles in the car wash.
930
The following steps are advised in the advanced wash
water recycling system [16]:
a. Pre-treatment (removal of coarse particles and sand),
b. Physical (mechanical) treatment by sedimentation for
the removal of suspended solids (treatment efficien-
cy may be improved by the addition of precipitating
chemicals),
c. Biological treatment for the removal of organic sub-
stances, and
d. Complementary treatment by means of chemical pre-
cipitation step or a filtration step (other complemen-
tary methods may include activated carbon, reverse
osmosis, etc.).
Sludge treatment with the purpose of reducing sludge
volume and stabilizing the sludge.
Reverse Osmosis Application in Modern Car Wash
All car wash types can use a reverse osmosis (RO) sys-
tem for fresh water purification and for water desalination.
RO is the tightest possible membrane process in liquid/liq-
uid separation [17]. Water is separated from dissolved salts
in solution by filtering through a semipermeable mem-
brane at a pressure greater than osmotic pressure. RO al-
lows removal of particles as small as dissolved individual
ions like sodium, chlorine, calcium, and magnesium, metal
ions, minerals and organics [13]. RO produces water that
meets the most demanding specifications.
Reverse Osmosis in Water Purification
Fresh water contains various amounts of dissolved
impurities that are left on the car as spots when the water
evaporates. The dissolved impurity level is characterized
by total dissolved solids (TDS), measured in milligrams
per liter (mg/l) or the equivalent called parts per million
(ppm). The more TDS the rinse water contains, the more
visible the spots are [18]. The average TDS in tap water
ranges from 50 ppm to 1,200 ppm, with an average of
about 300 ppm. The RO in the car wash industry may be
applied in the purification of fresh water to receive spot-
free rinse water. Cars rinsed with spot-free water are al-
lowed to air-dry as they do not have to be wiped off, which
eliminates the need for towels and additional personnel to
dry cars at the end of the process. Spot-free water should
have the level of TDS less than 30 ppm. RO can be easily
added in all car wash types [18, 19]. Self-serve locations
may offer RO spot-free water as a separate function. Tun-
nel washes dispense it through a final rinse arch just be-
fore the blower. In the RO process, pressurized feed water
is pushed through the center of the membrane. As water is
squeezed out through the membrane, the membrane cap-
tures the solids in the water and the spot-free rinse water
is produced. RO is particularly sensitive to feed water
temperature as the optimum condition for RO efficiency
is 25°C. A typical membrane may lose 1-2% of its flow
Janik H.,Kupiec A.
rate for every degree below that value. A preheater or a
larger membrane may be required to achieve the desired
level of performance. Pre-treatment is an important part
of RO performance as it prevents fouling and premature
membrane failure. A 5μm filter is mostly recommended,
and where chlorine is present (chlorine can wipe out some
membrane), carbon filters may be required to protect
certain types of membranes [18]. Another pre-treatment
aspect is softening of feed water for an RO system. It
prolongs the life of the membrane and the system itself.
Softener takes the harder particulates and makes them co-
agulate or bond together so that they become too large to
clog the pores of the membrane.
Reverse Osmosis in Water Desalination
Salt (sodium chloride) is the most commonly used
chemical to make winter roads passable. It is a low-cost
chemical but in some countries its use is forbidden. About
30 to 85 kg of salt is spread per kilometer in some coun-
tries [20]. Salt on the vehicles originates not only from
deicing the roads but also from ocean or sea spray. It ac-
cumulates on the vehicles, causing and accelerating the
already existing corrosion. When the winter season ends,
people want to get the salt off their cars. High saline wa-
ter loads are deposited into the car wash water reclama-
tion system during winter season and at the beginning of
spring. If the salt gets recycled with the water, then in-
creasingly concentrated brine is produced with each suc-
cessive car. Salt may cause some problems in the car wash
equipment and it limits water reuse applications. Desali-
nation reduces the amount of dissolved solids in water to a
usable level. RO for desalination may be implemented as
the last step of a good treatment system [2, 18].
The RO system needs to be maintained properly. Mem-
branes need to be cleaned regularly. The time in-between
cleanings depends on the amount of water being produced
per day. Desalination by reverse osmosis membranes com-
bined with the use of conventional pre-treatment units as
well as more advanced treatment technologies are now well
established methods of wash water desalination techniques.
Conclusions
Developments in technology usually lead to environ-
mental impact; however, in the case of a modern car wash
such impact can be neutral for the environment. The en-
vironmentally friendly, modern car wash requires a good
washing technology, proper water recycling system fol-
lowed by advanced water treatment methods, and com-
patible washing chemicals. The following conclusions
arise from the presented paper:
1. Developments in washing technology provide better
quality of wash; however, they also lead to higher wa-
ter consumption. That is why good car wash reclama-
tion systems are in demand.
Trends in Modern...
2. With frequently rising water costs it makes sense to
recycle as much water as possible.
3. Good water reclamation systems based on the biologi-
cal water treatment followed by filtration technique
are innovative and effective water treatment methods
that lead to consistently clean reclaimed water for bet-
ter vehicle wash results. Water recycling system must
be compatible with chemicals used to wash a car, and
must be prepared for high salt loads.
4. Implementation of a water recycling system into a car
wash leads to higher water quality reused in the wash-
ing operation, lower fresh water consumption and
lower sewer discharge fees.
5. Reverse osmosis can be applied in fresh water puri-
fication and reclaim water desalination. Reverse os-
mosis membranes are highly efficient in rejection of
solutes.
Water conservation should go together with energy
conservation in order to make the car wash business ef-
ficient from the operator’s and environmental points of
view. Additional savings may be achieved while imple-
menting alternative source of heat (solar energy), which
can lower utility costs and lead to savings, despite signifi-
cant initial costs.
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